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Matthew Silkwood
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Fences and Gates
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November 29, 2023

Fence Cost Calculator: Parts of a Fence Defined

The HOMR Fence Cost Calculator makes fence cost estimates easy. Learn the parts of a fence that affect the price of your new residential fence installation.

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Matthew Silkwood
Director Of Sales & Marketing

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Aledo
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Godley
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Caddo Mills
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North Richland Hills
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Ponder
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Frisco
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Midlothian
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Grandview
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Lake Worth
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University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
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Irving
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Poolville
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White Rock
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Itasca
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DeSoto
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Valley View
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Lancaster
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Lone Oak
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Springtown
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East Fort Worth
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Stockyards
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Rockwall
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Bluffview
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Old East Dallas
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Southern Methodist University
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Millsap
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Balch Springs
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Roanoke
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Oak Cliff
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Cockrell Hill
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Bridgeport
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Downtown Fort Worth
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Milford
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Ladonia
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South Fort Worth
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Southwest Dallas
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West
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Whitt
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Yale Park
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Northwest Dallas
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Willow Bend
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Paradise
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Nemo
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Chico
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Red Oak
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Wolfe City
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Bishop Arts District
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Italy
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Vickery Meadow
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Addison
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Sanger
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Celina
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Cleburne
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Perrin
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Colleyville
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St. Paul
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West Dallas
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Love Field
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Little Elm
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Quinlan
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West End
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Krum
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Newark
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North Dallas
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Hutchins
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Nevada
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Kessler Park
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Lewisville
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Design District
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Forney
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Justin
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Denton
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Uptown
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Anna
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Leonard
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Lake Dallas
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Venus
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Wylie
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Northrich
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North Fort Worth
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Alvord
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Kemp
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Farmers Branch
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South
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Sunnyvale
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Keene
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McKinney
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Decatur
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Lakewood
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Terrell
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Grapevine
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Mineral Wells
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Highland Village
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Coppell
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Murphy
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Blue Ridge
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Keller
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Stemmons Corridor
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Ennis
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Eagle Mountain

Fence Cost Calculator: Parts of a Fence Defined

How do I estimate the cost of building a fence? It’s simple with the HOMR Fence Cost Calculator is being released next week — type in your length of fence in linear feet, then add your desired construction options to generate an accurate price.

To use our fence cost tool effectively, you need to know the names of specific parts of a fence.

This short guide helps define your fence anatomy in clear, easy-to-understand terms.

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Wood Fence Styles — Board on Board vs. Side by Side

A board on board fence has overlapping pickets to prevent gaps forming in your fence. You cannot see through board on board fences, making them ideal for privacy fences.

Board on board fences are known for their strength and increased durability. Board on board fence posts are installed deeper into the ground. Each individual fence board is generally longer as a result.

A side by side fence is constructed by nailing fence boards end to end along the edges. The pickets on side by side fences do not overlap — they do not provide the same privacy as board on board fences.

Wood shrinks naturally over time, causing small gaps to open in side by side fences. However, side by side fences are more cost-effective to install and offer increased creativity in design options.

Fence Staining Options — Pre-Stained vs. Stained on Site

Pre-stained fence rails, pickets and posts are stained by the manufacturer before delivery and installation. 

Fences that are stained on site are delivered and purchased as untreated lumber, then stained during installation by your fence contractor.

It is cheaper to purchase pre-stained fence materials than to have your fence stained on site. The average savings on pre-stained fence rails, pickets and posts is 25%-30% over fences that are stained on site.

Selecting no stain means your fence does not receive stain or paint. You will save money on labor and materials by choosing not to stain your fence. However, an untreated fence is more prone to moisture damage and rot — wood stain acts as a waterproofing agent.

What Is a Fence Post Cap?

Fence post caps cover the top of your fence posts. A fence post cap protects the end grain of your wooden post from rot, moisture damage and exposure to the elements.

Even if you do not have a wood fence, post caps are aesthetically pleasing. They serve as decorative additions to your fence design that creates a “finished” look.

What Is a Fence Kickboard?

A fencing kickboard is also known as a rot board or a toe kick. A kickboard is a piece of wood placed at the bottom of your fence in contact with the ground. Your fence’s kickboard acts as a barrier between your fence and the soil, keeping moisture and pests away from your fence pickets.

A fence kickboard is usually made with pressure-treated wood and can be stained to match the rest of your fence design. 

Wood Fence Posts or Galvanized Steel Posts?

Choose wood fence posts if saving money upfront is important to you. Wooden fence posts are roughly half the price of steel fence posts. However, you will need to replace wood posts more often, and stain and seal them every few years.

Choose galvanized steel fence posts if durability is worth spending more upfront. Galvanized steel fence posts last roughly 3 times as long as wooden fence posts and don’t require regular maintenance and resealing.

Many homeowners use steel fence posts with wooden fence pickets, so do not worry about mixing materials.

Featured Partners

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Aledo
Godley
Caddo Mills
North Richland Hills
Ponder
Frisco
Midlothian
Grandview
Lake Worth
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Irving
Poolville
White Rock
Itasca
DeSoto
Valley View
Lancaster
Lone Oak
Springtown
East Fort Worth
Stockyards
Rockwall
Bluffview
Old East Dallas
Southern Methodist University
Millsap
Balch Springs
Roanoke
Oak Cliff
Cockrell Hill
Bridgeport
Downtown Fort Worth
Milford
Ladonia
South Fort Worth
Southwest Dallas
West
Whitt
Yale Park
Northwest Dallas
Willow Bend
Paradise
Nemo
Chico
Red Oak
Wolfe City
Bishop Arts District
Italy
Vickery Meadow
Addison
Sanger
Celina
Cleburne
Perrin
Colleyville
St. Paul
West Dallas
Love Field
Little Elm
Quinlan
West End
Krum
Newark
North Dallas
Hutchins
Nevada
Kessler Park
Lewisville
Design District
Forney
Justin
Denton
Uptown
Anna
Leonard
Lake Dallas
Venus
Wylie
Northrich
North Fort Worth
Alvord
Kemp
Farmers Branch
South
Sunnyvale
Keene
McKinney
Decatur
Lakewood
Terrell
Grapevine
Mineral Wells
Highland Village
Coppell
Murphy
Blue Ridge
Keller
Stemmons Corridor
Ennis
Eagle Mountain

Conclusion

Use these definitions of parts of a fence to use the HOMR Fence Cost Calculator. You’ll get a fast, realistic estimate of your new fence project.

Then, reach out to HOMR to get a free quote from a local fence contractor.

Read the next article in this series

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Matthew Silkwood
Director Of Sales & Marketing
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Linear feet
This is how long your fence is - measured along the ground.
ft
Number of gates
-
+
Do you want a top cap?
Top caps are 2x4 trim pieces put along the top of the fence
Fence Height
Fence type
Board-on-board fences overlap so there are no gaps. Side-by-side use less materials but can be seen through. Learn more
Wood type
Stain preference
What kind of finish do you want on your fence? 
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Explicabo sunt laboriosam rerum. Et qui omnis qui alias error placeat commodi illum possimus. Occaecati corrupti deleniti.
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Estimated total fence cost
$ 1300.00

Don’t be shocked, there are tons of ways to save money on a fence. Chat with our team when you are ready – we are here to help!

If you're looking for a fence contractor in Dallas: read our "who to hire" series where we built a bunch of fences to see who has the best fence for the best price

Estimated Total
$ 12,500.00